The present invention relates generally to the generation of infrared signals. More particularly, this invention pertains to the generation of infrared signals utilizing an audio signal driver.
Several United States Patents discuss the generation of infrared signals. These include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,889 entitled Display device for a compact disc player and a compact disc; U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,313 entitled Universal remote control system; U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,040 entitled Infrared remote control system for activating and deactivating one or more devices in a single enclosed space; U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,114 entitled Programmable remote control transmitter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,511 entitled Universal remote control unit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,643 entitled Transmitter driver for programmable remote control transmitter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,947 entitled Multi-function, multi-unit remote control system and method therefore; U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,814 entitled Infrared transmitter and control circuit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,777 entitled Remote control transmitter and receiver for use with a television receiver; U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,351 entitled Light coupled battery powered remote control apparatus; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,708 entitled Amplitude Modulated Laser Transmitter. Each of these references is hereby incorporated by reference.
In addition, a plethora of devices are known that produce a standard headphone output signal utilizing a stereo headphone jack. These devices include portable computers, handheld computers, midi players, mp3 players, tape players, CD players, radios, etc. . . . which will generally be referred to herein as existing audio signal generating devices.
These teachings fail to take advantage of the two channel audio output available from a wide variety of devices that may be used to generate an infrared control signal. What is needed, then, is an infrared generator that can generate an infrared signal from a multiple channel audio signal source.